Darren Loney
Design Team and Brass Instructor
DARREN LONEY is the Director of Instrumental Music at Gahr High School in Cerritos, California, and serves as the High School Music Coordinator for the ABC Unified School District. He oversees the Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Color Guard, Winter Guard, Percussion Ensemble, and Winter Drumline. After reinstating a competitive marching program in 2013, the Gahr High School Marching Band has been undefeated in the CSBC circuit, being crowned the “California State Band Grand Champions” in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Mr. Loney’s concert and jazz ensembles have consistently received Superior ratings for performance and sight-reading at SCSBOA adjudicated festivals, and the Winter Guard and Winter Drumline programs have been finalists in WGASC and SCPA, respectively. Before his tenure at Gahr High School, Mr. Loney spent four years as the band director at La Quinta High School in La Quinta, CA.
Mr. Loney was named 2010-11 “Teacher of the Year” at La Quinta High School and 2014-15 “Teacher of the Year” at Gahr High School. The Gahr High School Wind Ensemble was invited and performed in Hawaii on the USS Missouri in both 2015 and 2019. The Gahr High School Instrumental Music Program received national recognition from the NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.
Mr. Loney holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSU Long Beach, where he studied trombone performance with James Miller, principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. During his credential work, he was the inaugural recipient of the Bob Cole Conservatory “Music Education Award.” He completed Level II Kodály Certification studying Kodály methodology, solfege, conducting, and folk song analysis. Mr. Loney was a marching member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps, as well as a marching member and instructor at Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps. In addition to teaching, he is an avid arranger, composer, and drill writer for ensembles throughout Southern California.
Mr. Loney holds membership in SCSBOA, CMEA, TMEA, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, NAfME, the International Thespian Society, and the Golden Key International Honor Society. He has had the honor of being a presenter for the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association, the Kansas Music Educators Association, and the Southwest Music Education Association.
